Silver Memories
by Niia. Lady of Sorrow
Summary: Completely Joe centered prequel-fic... and a bit of afterwards. With an OC *surprise surprise - -* A little girl named Risa.
1. A Question

A/N: No I don't A.I. or Gigolo Joe...well I could rent him but that's besides the point... I do own Risa, The Mausoleum, and the Curator... Ask permission before using if you do ok

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Gigolo Joe clicked his head sharply to the side as he softly slide the door behind him shut. The sound of violins playing a soft harmony now filled the air. This particular customer had been a 'house call' and she always preferred fresh soyfee after he had demonstrated his 'services'. The rest of the small apartment was silent as he removed the appropriate tin canister from a shelf in the kitchen, swirling a few spoonfuls into a cup of water. The black crystals instantly dissolving while, simultaneously, heating the mixture to the perfect, steaming, pleasantly warm temperature. Suddenly he felt a weight on his back and then small pale arms wrapped around his neck. "Heya, Joe. Whaddya know?"

He was silent for a moment as he placed the steaming cup onto a serving tray, the wood inlay peeling off on one side, before responding to the common inquiry. "You know your mother does not wish you to be at home when she is here. You will be in trouble if she finds you." The girl gave a sigh as she relented her hold on the love-mecha and slid to the ground, before Joe turned around to face her. She probably wasn't more than ten years old, much too young for what he was created for. She was scruffy in the way most children in Rouge City were. Giving a crooked smile, she looked up at him, her short, soft black hair falling in choppy lengths around her face. Her eyes held a beseeching innocence about them.

"Well she's asleep isn't she? I mean she usually is after you come to visit..soo I thought I'd be safe just this once." She, just like every other Orga, clearly wanted something from him. Joe was going to respond with a stern 'no', already his face held a frown, when his auditory sensors detected the waking sounds of the woman laying, contentedly for now, in the bed in the next room.

His parameters may allow him to deny a child his attentions, but never a paying customer's. Turning around abruptly, he made his way towards the bedroom door, the music getting steadily louder. Then he heard the little girl's voice behind him, making him pause mid-step. "I just wanted to know if you'd come with me to the Mausoleum. None of the other kids are interested. All the adults are busy and you know mom. Please. The curator won't let me in without an escort."

"..Joe?" The sleepy voice of his lady of the hour echoed through the thin door. Joe's synapses were whirring. He didn't have the programming in him to actually care about this human child either way. She had never done anything for him. So he was not indebted to her. There was no reason to accept her request. The mausoleum wasn't much of a place for a little girl anyways.

Opening the door just wide enough to grant him access, Joe turned around inside the door frame. Her eyes told him everything. She didn't expect him to do what she asked of him, but had asked anyways. There was no reason to deny her request. He had no appointments later on that day anyways.

"Very well, Risa.," He said, in hushed tones so that only she could hear.," We will meet at the archways at 4 p.m." With that he slipped into the bedroom, a luminous smile on his face as he sat down next to the naked woman sprawled on the bed, as the door closed itself shut with a click. Leaving the small child alone in the now quiet kitchen, before she scampered away.


	2. Waiting

Don't own..yaddya yaddya blah blah blah

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Risa backed deeper into the archways as fat rain drops began to fall. She had never seen rain anywhere but here. All the bright neon lights usually gave off so much heat that the water evaporated before ever hitting the ground. There were no neon lights here though. Only a few softly glowing lamps. She didn't rightly know why, but the Mausoleum was always dark and quiet. For some reason, twenty feet away, the bustling city stopped. She knew better than to ask her mother anything, but whenever she asked anyone else they avoiding answering, giving some shifty answer before leaving. The census among the kids was that a mecha lived here, like some lurking monster and that, to keep itself running, it fed on human flesh.

Until about half a year ago, she would have said the same. The place felt foreign next to the city surrounding it's ancient walls. It was clear to anyone that something was here. On her eighth birthday though, at least that's how old she guessed she was based on what her mom yelled at her about the pain of birthing she had gone through that morning, the kids had set up a party for her. They had smuggled all sorts of sweets and holed up in one of the Immaculate Lady churches. No one ever went in there, not even the priests usually, so they were sure to be able to have all sorts of fun without being yelled at. It was great, but after they all tumbled out of the white doors of the church to go move their games elsewhere, Risa had been waved down by one of the guys her mom would shack up with periodically. Unlike Joe, these were real 'men'. She had never liked them. Whenever one caught a glance of her they gave her this weird smile like she was food or something. Regardless of her misgivings, she walked over to see what he wanted. It wasn't too bad, seems he was looking for her mom as company and thought he could get back into her good graces by bribing her daughter with some pretty trinket. Obviously he was incredibly dense to think that tactic would work, but who turns down a free toy?

It was a used supertoy. All of her friends clustered around as she searched for the button to turn it on. When she found it, the ornate, if more than a bit bedraggled, doll began to dance on the tips of its' toes. It was lovely. Risa had never seen anything like it. For a few minutes after the dance ended, everyone was spellbound.

Then the fighting started. Who was to play with it first? Who would be allowed to take it home? The doll moved back and forth, pulled roughly from child to child as voices raised higher and higher. Risa screamed and went to grab at her beloved present, but by that time the older kids had it and there was no prying it from them. With a shrill cry of frustration and anger, she dug her nails into the nearest kid's, Toby's, arm. She didn't get her toy back, but she did get punched in the jaw. It was hard enough to make her dizzy for a few minutes. By then, she had had enough and surrendered the toy, choosing instead to run.

All that running had brought her here. To this quiet bit of streets that no one talked about. The silence and shadows were a welcome change to her now pounding head. That's how she met the Curator. Wandering around, crying and rubbing her sore head, she had bumped into a person. Instead of a sharp retort like she expected, the stranger smiled at her and bent down, pulling her hands away from her face before clucking at the large bruise.

Ever since then, she had clamored down here periodically, her curiousity peeked by the various things she would find outside the Mausoleum. She smiled as she remembered the time she had found a small group of flowers the Curator had called row-ces.

"Risa, is there something interesting about the rain?" The soft, masculine voice behind her made her jump before she turned around. There was Joe, leaning against one of the deteriorating pillars of the archways, holding out his hand. Her mom had once told her that when Joe came to visit he almost made her believe he was Orga instead of Mech. Risa knew she'd never make that mistake. No Orga had ever smiled at her like Joe had. Smiling back at him, she slipped her small hand into his and led him through the archways towards the dark building before them.


End file.
